HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-06-25 WUCFD MINUTESWATER UTILITIES COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT
(APACHE JUNCTION WATER COMPANY)
CITY OF APACHE JUNCTION, ARIZONA
REGULAR MEETING
JUNE 25, 2007
The regular meeting of the District Board of the Water
Utilities Community Facilities District (Apache Junction Water
Company), City of Apache Junction, Arizona, was held on June 25,
2007, at the Apache Junction City Council Chambers pursuant to
the notice required by law.
CALL TO ORDER
Chairperson Insalaco called the meeting to order at 7:00
p.m.
ROLL CALL
Board Members Present:Chairperson John Insalaco
Vice Chairperson R.E. Eck, Jr.
Mrs. Robin Barker
Mr. Rick Dietz
Mr. Jeff Serdy
Mr. Joseph Severs
Mr. Chip Wilson
Staff Present:Kathleen Connelly, District Clerk
John White, District Finance Manager
Doug Dobson, Utility Director
Frank Blanco, Water Director
Keith Lewis, District Finance Director
Others Present:Hazel Randall, District Admin. Asst.
Greg Swartz, Piper Jaf fray
APPLICATION FOR FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE FROM THE WATER
INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCE AUTHORITY OF
ARIZONA FOR WATER SYSTEM
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of June 25, 2007
Page 1 of 27
IMPROVEMENTS
)District Finance Manager
John White briefed the board on the item.He commented Mr.
Swartz of Piper Jaf fray was there to speak to the board.He has
worked in the water and wastewater field for a couple of
decades.He gave brief work history of Mr. Swartz.He will
give some background on debt issues, how municipal debt works,
and how the water district can use that debt.There is the
possibility the district may need to incur additional debt with
some of the capital needs.
Mr. Greg Swartz addressed the
board.He stated they were asked to examine alternatives to
finance some improvements to the water infrastructure operated
by the district.The assessment report stated to serve the
current and projected needs of the district it will need to
connect into the Mesa system through an interconnect and design
and finance the construction of a surface water treatment
facility.
Vice Chairperson Eck
suggested he give them a brief explanation as to why the
district needs to do the interconnect and the treatment plant.
They have a number of new board members.
Mr. Greg Swartz stated he is
just a finance guy.He can answer questions about finance only.
Vice Chairperson Eck asked
how strong the district is as far as a bonding district.
•Mr. Greg Swartz stated as a
stand alone entity that would issue its own bonds, the district
is what is known as an investment grade issuer.If they were to
issue bonds, they would meet with relatively good reception on
the part of the investor.
Vice Chairperson Eck asked if
they have to issue bonds with so much of the district money.
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Meeting Minutes of June 25, 2007
Page 2 of 27
Mr. Greg Swartz stated the
markets like to see a couple of things when bonds are issued.
They prefer you mix bonds with your own cash.The markets like
to see a water and wastewater utility invest as much of its own
cash into the capital infrastructure as possible prior to
issuing debt.
Vice Chairperson Eck asked if
there is a median percentage.
Mr. Greg Swartz stated it
varies year to year, but generally the agencies that have rated
them investment grade would like to see anywhere from 20% to 40%
of the district's infrastructure financed with cash.As a rated
entity, the district is coming upon a period that is a classic
small business growth cycle where the customers will outstrip
the district's capability at some point.It is the least
advantageous time for the district to go out on the open market
for its own debt; when they have a large capital debt and they
know it is coming but they do not have the revenue stream yet.
He recommended they rely upon the Water Infrastructure Finance
Authority of Arizona.The project loans are as small as $2,368
to as large as $463,000,000 to Lake Havasu City to build a
wastewater treatment system.They offer the best terms and
conditions.The open market interest rate would probably be 4.5
to 4.75%.It would probably be a 3 to 3.25% interest rate with
the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority with no closing costs
other than local closing costs.Legal fees are also lower.His
advice is if they have looming capital needs, the Water
Infrastructure Finance Authority is a viable course.
Vice Chairperson Eck
commented it is back to the old street bonding issue of how the
costs of materials keep going up.They need to get a project
planned and get them going now.It is better to pay 3.5% now
then to wait 5 years and pay more for materials.
Mr. Greg Swartz stated the
interest rates are below the increasing cost from inflation.If
they try to do what needs to be done with cash, paying as you
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of June 25, 2007
Page 3 of 27
go, you would most likely not be able to set aside enough cash
at any given time to construct these improvements.A lot of
communities like to avoid debt.If you avoid debt at all costs,
it ends up being more expensive.It is a means of insuring
intergenerational equity so that users 10 years from now are
paying the same amount of users of today, rather than placing
the burden on today's users; the debt is placed on everybody.
Everyone pays their proportionate share.Pay as you go in the
current environment simply does not work.He looked at the
district's financial status and although things are tight, there
is some room for additional debt.He described the Water
Infrastructure Finance Authority two -stage process.
Vice Chairperson Eck asked if
they can do conceptual plans.
Mr. Greg Swartz stated they
can.The district is ranked in the fundable range by the Water
Infrastructure Finance Authority.He continued with the
description of the two -stage process.He recommended the
district go to the loan application stage and submit the
application.Nothing is binding on the district's part.Once
the loan is originated with them, it is like a line of credit.
The three projects that have been submitted are the Mesa
interconnect, a planning and design of a surface water treatment
facility, and groundwater monitoring.This would translate into
one construction loan for 20 years at an interest rate of about
3%, and a planning and design loan with an interest rate either
at or below 1.5% for a 3 year term.The latter can be converted
into a construction loan with no principal payments until they
determine if they are going to proceed with construction or turn
it into a 20 year loan and do nothing with the planning. and
design.
Mrs. Barker asked what the
total is that they are looking at.
Mr. Greg Swartz stated the
interconnect is $4.5 million, the planning and design was
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of June 25, 2007
Page 4 of 27
rounded up to $1 million, and the groundwater monitoring was
rounded up to $1 million or $500,000.
District Finance Manager John
White stated he believed it was submitted at $500,000.There is
another $500,000 for the design of the Mesa interconnect.
Vice Chairperson Eck
commented they are asking for $500,000 for groundwater
monitoring.
District Finance Manager John
White stated that is for continuous chlorine monitoring.He
believes it is actually shown in the budget as $200,000.
Mrs. Barker stated they have
a million for the water treatment facility and $4.5 million
instead of $5 million for the interconnect.They have $1
million above that for half and half.
Mr. Greg Swartz stated he
does not have the budget in front of him but he believes the
interconnect is $4.5 million.There is a million for planning
and design and $500,000 for the groundwater monitoring.
Chairperson Insalaco
commented the water treatment plant is not in this.
Mr. Greg Swartz stated it is
not in there yet.The $1 million is intended for the planning
and design of it.It is better to round to the nearest $500,000
with the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority.It does not
hurt to take the line of credit to the largest amount they can.
District Manager George
Hoffman asked him to talk about a scenario where the district
needed to build a treatment plant and might be looking at 8
digit numbers for borrowing but would not have the revenue
stream for several years hence.There would be no payments
until 2010.
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of June 25, 2007
Page 5 of 27
Mr. Greg Swartz stated they
are in a classic position that a lot of communities are finding
themselves in around the state.They know they have growth and
need to meet the demand.They cannot build the infrastructure
the day they move in.They have to build the treatment
capacity, make sure the transmission lines are in place, and
have the developers make sure the distribution lines are in
place as they are needed.There will be fairly significant
upfront capital costs with existing users expecting to pay for
that growth component.It can be handled in a number of ways,
such as impact fees.
District Finance Manager John
White stated this is a separate district and it does not have
impact fees.They treat their connection fees in a similar
manner.
Mr. Greg Swartz stated this
can be addressed in a number of ways.If the project is
intended to service the area south of here, they can rely on the
creation of another community facilities district intended to
finance growth.It is not like the community facilities
district they serve as board members on.The city council would
serve as board members and it would be principally created to
insure that those future residents were paying for their
infrastructure requirements.Instead of revenue, they would
form the district and use special assessment bonds or general
obligation bonds issued by the district and secured by the land.
The land being developed could serve as security for the
transaction.
District Manager George
Hoffman commented he thought there were limitations on the
ability to lien state land.
Mr. Greg Swartz stated if the
land has been acquired and is going to be developed, they would
be looking at the part that has been sold.
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Meeting Minutes of June 25, 2007
Page 6 of 27
District Manager George
Hoffman stated he thinks they will have to look at the
transaction document carefully.He is not sure that the
developer has actual title to that land until a whole bunch of
things are done.He is 99% sure that they do not own that land
today, even though there was an auction and $58 million was
spent.
Vice Chairperson Eck asked if
they would be building the same size plant for the system
regardless of the system.The interconnect would be a back-up
if we had our own plant, or would the plant be 5 times larger to
build that southern section.
District Manager George
Hoffman stated they are looking at building the interconnect
first and then have some close discussion with the state land
department about the phasing, disposition, and the release of
those subsequent parcels.His question was how big to build it
and when.
Vice Chairperson Eck
commented if they had a choice they would build the treatment
plant and would not do the interconnect.
Mr. Greg Swartz commented
about the land being owned.He believes the land is held by the
developer for eventual resale to individual homeowners, in which
case that structure would work.A second alternative is to have
the developer finance the improvement through a public/private
partnership.They have a vested interest in insuring that water
would be provided.They would finance the improvements up
front.If they are given the choice, they would want to be a
taxpayer paying property taxes through a community facilities
district for the infrastructure, as opposed to being a developer
and borrowing at prime rate to build the facility.They want to
be able to go for the tax exempt money to the extent that the
option is available to them.They are going to prefer that.If
that option is not available to them in your time frame, then
the classic response is a public/private partnership where the
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of June 25, 2007
Page 7 of 27
developer is financing: the improvements with the understanding
thatithey are going to be publicly owned.
Mr. Dietz commented he was
talking about putting a lien on the property with the first
option of assuming the landowner has title to the land.
Mr. Greg Swartz stated that
is correct.
Mr. Dietz asked if that is
repaid through property tax.
Mr. Greg Swartz stated that
is one of two means of payment.There is a property tax or
special assessment.They work along the same lines.The
underlying security is the value of the land.
Vice Chairperson Eck
commented he is concerned with the timing in thathe would like
the treatment plant and water ready to go-before_any-dirt is
moved:down south.Another company has a water main running in
front of that property.It is considered our service area, so
they have to prepare themselves to have adequate supplies of
water for construction and such.The day a fire hydrant is put
in place, it should be.our -fire hydrant.
Mr. Greg Swartz stated he is
not familiar with the phases that will occur in the future.The
classic response by most:communities in this -circumstance is the
community is in the. utility -business.It has the authorityto
be -a,direct provider rather than -having the arrangement that is
here in Apache Junction.It is classically financed by sales
tax, where the taxes-are:pledged-to a financing that is used to
build the future capacity:today rather than waiting until it is
too late.
Vice Chairperson Eck asked if
that:is .a utility sales tax,
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of June 25, 2007 .
Page_Vof 27
Mr. Greg Swartz stated most
communities are in the utility business.They do not have a
community facilities district operating the utility.They do
financing with a sales tax pledge to build a future capacity for
future residents.Essentially there was no revenue stream to
pledge.
Vice Chairperson Eck
commented that is the total city sales tax.
Mr. Greg Swartz stated that
is correct.It is an alternative but also comparison to what
the response is on the part of other communities.There are
essentially three ways:community facilities district,
developer, and sales tax.
Mr. Dietz asked if they could
do a study on the connection fees since they cannot do
development fees, and if connection fees could go towards
building a facility.
District Manager George
Hoffman stated staff has recommended that and it is subsequently
in the budget.
Mr. Dietz commented there is
money in there for it.He asked if that would be a revenue
source to repay the debt.
District Manager George
Hoffman stated they will have to have a debt instrument first
before they get the revenues in.
Vice Chairperson Eck asked if
they could create one when they do the Mesa interconnect, and
then start paying that debt with what Mr. Dietz is suggesting,
so that when they do the treatment plant they are not busted
from any other source of revenue.
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Meeting Minutes of June 25, 2007
Page 9 of 27
District Manager George
Hoffman asked him to repeat that.
Vice Chairperson Eck
commented if they had another pot of money that they were using
to pay that debt and they were not quite as high on our
connection fees, they could raise the connection fee to help pay
that interconnect fee rather than use the other source of
revenue.
District Manager George
Hoffman stated he is not sure what other source of revenue he is
referring to.
Vice Chairperson Eck
commented they could say they had $5,000,000.They could use a
connection fee to pay the interconnect with Mesa rather than
touching the $5,000,000 at all, if they could come up with
enough connection fees.
District Manager George
Hoffman stated they would have to look at what that revenue
stream would generate.
Mr. Greg Swartz commented
connection fees are the most difficult revenue stream to pledge.
Vice Chairperson Eck
commented it is because they have no control over them.
Mr. Greg Swartz stated it is
essentially a one -time -revenue that may or may not occur.
Vice Mayor Eck commented we
would have a difficult time doing a city tax as only about 30%
of the district is within the city limits.
Mr. Greg Swartz commented the
communities have been leveraging their connection fees but
invariably it involves an additional pledge of the re -occurring
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of June 25, 2007
Page 10 of 27
revenue.They can pledge their connection fees to a financing,
but somewhere in the background is a re -occurring revenue
stream, either system revenues or sales tax.
District Manager George
Hoffman stated as far as holding other monies in reserve, he
thinks one of the things they will bump up against is the debt
coverage ratio.
Vice Chairperson Eck
commented he does not fully understand that one but he knows
that could be an issue.
District Manager George
Hoffman stated he would have to explore that.
Vice Chairperson Eck
commented it is good information, but it is still confusing ten
years later.
Mr. Greg Swartz stated debt
service coverage tells them that if they have $2 million of
gross revenues, which are all the revenues coming in, and they
have $800,000 of operating expenses, that leaves $1.2 million of
net revenue.The net revenue can support $1 million worth of
debt service.The $1.2 million will support $1 million.It is
in effect 1.2 times coverage.
Vice Chairperson Eck asked if
there is a maximum percentage they can make.
Mr. Greg Swartz stated they
are currently relying on their loan with Water Infrastructure
Finance Authority to set their coverage and that is 1.2 times
coverage.It is $1.20 of net revenues for every dollar of debt
service.
Vice Chairperson Eck
commented it is about 20%.
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of June 25, 2007
Page 11 of 27
Mr. Greg Swartz stated that
is correct.
City Manager George Hoffman
stated there may be a lot more questions later.They have some
capital debt items contemplated in the budget.It was his
thought that they might have some general interest on how they
are going to tackle these.
DISCUSSION ON PROPOSED DISTRICT
BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2007-2008 TO
INCLUDE PROPOSED RATES, FEES,
CHARGES AND HOLDING PERIODS
)Chairperson Insalaco asked.
what a holding period is.
District Finance Manager John
White briefed the board on the item.He stated a holding period
is the number of months that they would hold a deposit to
determine whether the customer would be eligible or not to have
their deposit refunded.He will, not be discussing rates
tonight.He is presenting the initial look at the budget and
there will be some overlapping infrastructure items in the
budget.They have included the recommendations from Damon S.
Williams in the budget; most involve the Central Arizona Project
allotment.It was recommended they secure a water rights
attorney and that is roughly estimated at $30,000.The Mesa
Interconnect is in the budget for about $4.5 million for
construction and $500,000 for the design.They are introducing
the prospect of additional borrowing and a package treatment
plant in this budget.
Water Director Frank Blanco
stated the issue has come with the arsenic treatment facility
and the wells in general.The two dependable wells are #5 and
#6.There have been some problems with the way they are
operating and they still have open issues on them.They are
working with the contractor and engineer to get those issues
resolved.The peak demand is at 1.9 million gallons per day.
The wells combined capacity is less than that, putting the
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of June 25, 2007
Page 12 of 27
district in -a situation where we need to take water:from -Arizona
Water and Mesa to meet the communitydemands.The potential of
having 'a package plant'that would treat 2 million gallons per
day.is -something they neecLto be consideringin:terms of how
they approach the installation of that facility.The idea is to
use. it as a modular facility.They can place it on the property
and ultimately built a- treatment plant.They .would have the
ability to deliver water, that is needed by the customers
currently.It is an. option that needs to be considered.
Vice Chairperson Eck stated
it is a good option.
Mr. Dietz agreed.He asked
why it was not included in -the Water Infrastructure Finance
Authority loan.
Water Director Frank Blanco
stated -it was one of the technologies that Damon S. Williams
lookecLat.It was not one of the top 3 recommendations,Their
approach was for what could. be used for a permanent facility.
He is offering the option of having the package plant in place
early and then having the ability to move.the:plant, since it is
portable, and possibly using it as a centralized arsenic
treatment plant.This -plant .can treat arsenic as well as
surface water or groundwater..
Vice Chairperson Eck asked
who makes them,
Water Director Frank Blanco
stated:there are several vendors out there.He does -not want to
identify them; he would prefer .to have a consultant help them
with the selection process.
Vice Chairperson Eck
commented he is saying thatithey could ultimately tie in down on
district property and almost produce the waterthat:is
necessary.A key issue with him is how to service the area
south of the freeway,.They are talking about having to put
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of June 25;i2n7
Page 13 of 27
mains under the freeway that are extremely expensive.If they
have this package plant that acts like a regular treatment
plant, like the line on Idaho that is a transmission line, he
wondered if there was a way they could keep the water south and
make that a distribution line rather than a transmission line.
Water Director Frank Blanco
stated that is a good question.There was some modeling done by
Damon S. Williams on that.Their recommendation was to keep the
system the way that it was with a transmission line.However,
he does not know if they looked at the possibility of a source
down south.
Vice Chairperson Eck asked if
they are okay with Well #5 if they shut off Well #6.They do
not have an arsenic problem there, just like a TDS.
Water Director Frank Blanco
stated the arsenic in Well #5 is low.That is the best water
quality that we have.
Vice Chairperson Eck
commented they could almost have two water supplies.He is
thinking about the cost of putting a main under the freeway.As
we grow, we will grow south.
Water Director Frank Blanco
stated it is something they should look at.
District Finance Manager John
White gave a powerpoint presentation on the budget.They need
to make some policy decisions on the funding of the
infrastructure.His presentation included groundwater, safe
yield and recharge credit funding.
Vice Chairperson Eck
commented he would like a professional opinion on getting
recharge credits; if they should keep going or at what point
they stop.He does not know if the district counsel can help
them with that.
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of June 25, 2007
Page 14 of 27
Mrs. Barker commented it
looks like it may phase out.
District Finance Manager John
White stated with respect to incentive recharge, it very likely
will.They are also in the third year of a ten year agreement
with the sewer district for the purchase of their recharge
credits.The credits can be applied to offset the replenishment
tax.He briefed the new board members on the history of the
district.
Vice Chairperson Eck asked
him to explain the difference in cost between purchasing water
from Arizona Water to pumping 1,000 gallons from Well #5.It
used to be 39 cents per thousand.
District Finance Manager John
White stated it may have gone up a little.It is probably
closer to 39 cents per thousand gallons from Well #5 than it is
to the $3.63 per thousand we pay Arizona Water currently.
Vice Chairperson Eck
commented that is just killing the district.
Mrs. Barker commented it is
supply and demand.
District Finance Manager John
White stated by comparison, Mesa, through the wheeling
agreement, is now asserting that the district owes $2.62 per
thousand in charges for a monthly base rate.That is for what
was delivered in May.The options for expanding the water
resources are to hire a water rights attorney and the Mesa
interconnect.
Vice Chairperson Eck
commented that he and Frank have a common ground.They both
know the person responsible for that and they will get a cut and
dry price in the end.
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Meeting Minutes of June 25, 2007
Page 15 of 27
Chairperson Insalaco asked
what a water rights attorney can do for $30,000 and do they have
someone in mind.
District Finance Manager John
White stated Frank has been in discussions with a firm.
Water Director Frank Blanco
stated he has been talking to Bill Andger.He was recommended
through Kay Bigelow.He has given the district a pay schedule
based on the time that he works on the project.He has also
given the district a letter with the prices on it and the
district has given him a scope of what he is expected to do for
the district.There is a lot of competition out there for the
water; it is important to get this person on and get him on
early.The advantage to having this attorney is he already has
lots of connections in that realm.He will not be learning
everything from scratch.He should be productive for the
$30,000 he has so far quoted the district.If there is
additional work, it would be more money.At that point they
would go back to the board and state exactly what is needed.
Chairperson Insalaco stated
he is not against this; he just wondered what could be
accomplished for $30,000.It sounds like a lot of money, but it
is not when you consider what he can do for the district.
District Manager George
Hoffman commented he would be gaining legal rights to other
sources of water.Groundwater is increasingly limited as a
resource.They cannot just sink wells and suck out all the
water they can pull out.They only have 2,900 plus acre feet of
Central Arizona Project water.As we grow to the south, they
need to have a legal source of water to provide.
Mr. Serdy asked if this would
help us in fighting Mesa from crossing the county line, once
they see we are doing this.
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of June 25, 2007
Page 16 of 27
District Manager George
Hoffman stated he thinks the ability for the district to
demonstrate that this community can provide for the basic
infrastructure for growth is the most powerful and fundamental
protection we can have for the growth corridor.
commented
if we got
could get
issue.
Vice Chairperson Eck
he had a councilmember tell him that he did not care
water from Mesa, as long as we could show that we
the water delivered to that area.That is the biggest
Mr. Dietz commented he has
heard there are some Indian reservations that have quite a bit
of water that is available.The water rights attorney can go
negotiate with them so that we can purchase it as additional
water.
District Manager George
Hoffman stated water will be the next oil or gold for Arizona.
The prices will go as they have done for gasoline.The flip
side, the discussion of water conservation and gray water reuse
and all those things become very important.It will be how they
can stretch that gallon of water that they are paying a premium
for into so many households.
Vice Chairperson Eck stated
they have $50,000 for conservation.
District Finance Manager John
White stated another challenge is safe yield, a groundwater
requirement.Starting in 2010, they will need to put back into
the ground a gallon of water for every gallon removed.They
still have agreements with the sewer district to build up
recharge credits.The budget includes an ever-increasing amount
for the replenishment tax.Arsenic treatment and renewal is an
ongoing problem, along with lost and unaccounted for water.
Vice Chairperson Eck asked
where they were now at percentage -wise.
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Meeting Minutes of June 25, 2007
Page 17 of 27
Mr. Dietz stated they are
just under 15%.
Vice Chairperson Eck stated
they are still too high.They have to find that water.He
commented he will talk with Frank as he thinks he knows where it
is.
District Finance Manager John
White stated there is also the package treatment plant and
modifications that need to be done to Well #6.There is no firm
estimate yet; they may need another $250,000 to make the project
work.
Mr. Dietz -asked if they will
be reimbursed by the contractor since this was their
responsibility.They sold us.a package that was supposed to
work for the money that was put into it thus far, and it has
done nothing but fail.
District Finance Manager John
White stated that is a matter for the district counsel, but he
would think there might some legal recourse, but he is not sure
to what extent they would be able to recover monies.
Mr. Dietz commented there had
better be some legal recourse.
Vice Chairperson Eck
commented all these consultants came out when the arsenic came
out and said they had the best plan.Half of them did not even
know if they worked right, and that is what we got.
District Finance Director
John White stated the groundwater updates are the continuous
chlorine; there is also a water conservation team.In the
future, after June 2008, they will need a security system, a
well site to the south, Well #8 will need arsenic treatment at
some point, the line placement at San Marcos, and additional
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of June 25, 2007
Page 18 of 27
storage capacity as the system grows.They need a capital
facilities program to plan for the financial needs.
Chairperson Insalaco stated
they would need land for the additional storage.
Water Director Frank Blanco
stated the only place they do have land is at Well #6.It is
north of the existing storage site.He is not certain but
public works may have plans for that particular piece of land.
Mr. Dietz commented public
works may not be there either.
Water Director Frank Blanco
stated they will need land somewhere.
Vice Chairperson Eck
commented the government mandates on arsenic treatment irritate
him.They mandate them but do not give any funds to take care
of it.
Mr. Dietz commented the
capital facilities fees collected thus far are on page 12 .of the
introduction.The accumulated reserve at the end of 2004-2005
was $1,745;017.In 2005-06 we accumulated $76,272.It is
showing we ended up with, $860,622, which is minus $961,667.He
asked where that went..
District Finance Manager John
White stated they pulled out $400,000 last May for the emergency
situation.
Mr. Dietz commented he
thought that $400,000 was all that had been authorized to come
out of the capital facilitiesplan.
District Finance Manager John
White stated they also expended some on the arsenic treatment
plant.That has since been replenished.That is how it jumped
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of June 25, 2007
Page 19 of 27
up to $860,000 and they are projecting another $200,000 this
year.That should bring it back up to $1.7 million.
He asked if they pulled out
another $560,000 for the arsenic treatment.
District Finance Manager John
White stated he could get the figures.He does not have the
exact amount in front of him.
Vice Chairperson Eck
commented they will have to look every year; the arsenic
treatment will have to be passed down to the end user.They
will have to look every year at a possible rate increase.
Mr. Dietz commented if they
have $1.3 million projected in capital facilities by the end of
the year, and if the sale of the land goes for $5 million, they
would have $6.75 million set aside for capital projects.He
continued with line item 15 for the attorneys.They currently
have $50,000, but if they put aside $24,000 for Kay and $30,000
for the water rights attorney, it needs to be readjusted to
$54,000.
District Finance Manager John
White stated it would need to be.That was a routing issue.
Mr. Dietz commented they had
been talking earlier about the actual revenues for 5/31/07
versus the projected.He asked if that will mess things up
because of the differences in them.
District Finance Manager John
White stated for May through the projected those are estimates.
He did not look at the low dollar amounts as closely as he
should have.It might affect us one way or another, but it
should not significant.
Mr. Dietz requested it be
corrected.
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of June 25, 2007
Page 20 of 27
District Manager George
Hoffman stated he did not understand the question or the answer
on that issue.
There was general discussion
on the issue.
District Manager George
Hoffman stated if they presume that the year-to-date numbers are
accurate, then there would be no instance in where the actual
year end would be less than that.
District Finance Manager John
White stated that is correct.The projected figures were done
prior to the May figures being finalized.He underestimated
what the year end would be and it was surpassed by the May
actuals.
District Manager George
Hoffman asked if those would be adjusted.
.District Finance Manager John
White stated they will be He will be using the actual
expenditures through June 30 when they do final budget adoption.
Chairperson Insalaco asked if
they would be getting that updated information.
District Finance Manager John
White stated they would.
Vice Chairperson Eck
commented usually the accurate volume takes care of itself as
they are selling more water and the infrastructure is paying for
itself.There is no emptiness of property in-between.They are
pouring in more volume because they are selling more water in a
dense area.If they build an industrial park and every space
fills up, they will create more revenue from that area.It does
us no good if they go over their 1.9 the way they are now.They
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of June 25, 2007
Page 21 of 27
are only making 25 cents above due to the wheeling agreement.
He asked if that is accurate.
District Finance Manager John
White stated that is correct.The district is not making any
marginal profit.
Vice Chairperson Eck
commented they should be making near 20% on their water.If
they could make 19% it would be great.They need to get moving.
Mr. Dietz commented under tab
five, line 39 for contingency, there is $310,765 in last year's
budget and nothing in this year's contingency.He asked if they
would be having a contingency fund this year.
District Finance Manager John
White stated there was no money to put into contingency with all
the money that is in capital this year.
Mr. Dietz asked if under
capital outlay, other machinery and equipment, the money there
is for the package plant, for the groundwater monitoring
upgrades and equipment.
District Finance Manager John
White stated that is correct.
Mr. Dietz commented that is
in the budget for purchase this year.
District Finance Manager John
White stated that is correct.
There was general discussion
on the other major projects that had been funded in the budget
that had been previously mentioned.
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of June 25, 2007
Page 22 of 27
Vice Chairperson Eck asked if
they would be pushing against the line that is coming down now
if they put the package plant on that property.
Water Director Frank Blanco
stated it would be a similar installation to what they had
before.
Mr. Dietz commented it would
be the same thing that they used for an emergency.
Vice Chairperson Eck
commented that there is no water.They would have water.He
asked if they would just shut everything else off and turn the
package plant on and just reverse flow.
Water Director Frank Blanco
stated theiplan had been: to fill -the tank at booster station #2
and from there it would be pushed over to boosterstation #1.
With the plant they have the flexibility of running the plant as
many hours in the day as-they.want and running the wells also.
They have the option of either one :or both.It:does:not have to
operate 24 -.hours a day
Vice Chairperson Eck
commentedthat everything would-be heading south.They have a
lot of water pressure'_down:by the sewage treatment -plant.He
asked if they could- hook- this up there and still pump against
that:heacL
Water Director Frank Blanco
stated it .pumps directly to the -tank at boosterstation
Vice Chairperson Eck asked
where booster station #2 is located.
Water Director Frank Blanco
stated that is the Baseline site.
Water Utilities Community Facilities District.
Meeting Minutes of June 25,2007
Page 23 -of :27
Vice Chairperson Eck
commented they would be valving off some place else to keep the
flow from coming down.He thinks it is a great idea and should
save them a lot of money.He asked how much it would cost to
produce 1,000 gallons through that tank.
Water Director Frank Blanco
stated he has not run the numbers on that.He will need to do
so.
Mrs. Barker asked .when final
adoption of the budget:milLbe,
District Clerk Kathleen
Connelly :stated it isIdueno later than October
Mr. Dietz asked -when the
tentative budget is due.
District Clerk :Kathleen
Connelly stated it needs:to -be done by the fifteenth.
District Finance Manager John
White stated it has to be done by July 15, which is a Sunday.
Chairperson Insalaco
commented it must be done by July 9.
District Finance -Manager John
White stated that is correct-or July 3.They were looking at
July 9 but it is up to the board.That discussion is -the next
agenda -item.
DISCUSSION ION DATES, TIMES AND
LOCATIONS FOR CONSIDERATION OF
TENTATIVE AND FINAL BUDGETS
)District Clerk Kathleen
Connelly stated they already have :a special meeting:scheduled in
their city -council capacity for July 9.It would beisimilar to
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of June 25, 2007
Page 24.of 27
what they are doing tonight, with budget/budget.They could do
the same that night.
Mr. Dietz commented it would
be work sessions.
District Clerk Kathleen
Connelly stated it is an off Monday.
Mrs. Barker stated it would
be tentative budget adoption for both.
District Manager George
Hoffman stated if the board were interested they could do some
small group discussion and immerse themselves in the line items
and go through the history and background.
Mr. Dietz commented he
thought they were going to do that prior to this meeting.He
had gotten a call from Hazel to set up a meeting.
District Manager George
Hoffman stated by giving them the option of doubling it up, they
can get it out for them and have group discussions, so they
reversed the order.They can still do both.He thinks it would
be a good idea.There are still some board observations that
need to be reflected in this.
There was general discussion
on when there would be tentative budget adoption and that all of
the items would be filled in by that time.
District Finance Manager John
White stated the community facility district laws are somewhat
quirky compared to the city.The city budget has to be adopted
no later than the third Monday of July.The district is July
15.The district's budget can also be raised following the
adoption of the tentative budget.
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of June 25, "2007
Page 25 of 27
Mr. Dietz asked why the
tentative budget has to be adopted by July 15 but the final not
until October.
District Clerk Kathleen
Connelly stated it is state law.
There was more general
discussion on tentative budget adoption.
District Clerk Kathleen
Connelly stated if they do not take advantage of July 9, with
the council also meeting that night, then somewhere between July
9 and July 15 they would have to have a special meeting.It
would be similar to what they did tonight.
District Manager George
Hoffman asked Mr. Wilson if that would work for him.
Mr. Wilson stated he could be
here until about 5:30 p.m.
There was general discussion
on their being able to do two budget meetings in one night and
what motions were needed at this time.
District Clerk Kathleen
Connelly stated they only need to give them a clue as to when
they want the final budget adoption, and that could be done on
July 9.Tonight they need to give the date for tentative
adoption.On July 9 they will be doing final city budget
adoption and tentative water district budget adoption.
ADJOURNMENT
)Chairperson Insalaco
adjourned the meeting at 8:15 p.m.
ACCEPTED THIS 1ST DAY OF OCTOBER , 2007,
BY THE CHAIRPERSON AND DISTRICT BOARD OF THE WATER UTILITIES
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of June 25, 2007
Page 26 of 27
COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT (APACHE JUNCTION WATER COMPANY),
CITY OF APACHE JUNCTION, ARIZONA.
SIGNED AND ATTESTED TO THIS 1ST DAY OF OCTOBER ,
2007.
f n S. Insalaco
Chairperson
ATTEST:
Kathleen Connelly
District Clerk
WATER UTILITIES COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT MINUTES
CERTIFICATION
I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and
correct copy of the minutes of the regular meeting of the Water
Utilities Community Facilities District of the City of Apache
Junction, Arizona, held on the 25th day of June, 2007.I
further certify that the meeting was duly called and held and
that a quorum was present.
Dated this 30th day of August, 2007.
Kathleen Connelly
District Clerk
Water Utilities Community Facilities District
Meeting Minutes of June 25, 2007
Page 27 of 27